Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Safehaven or Shirking Responsibility?

I just read an article about the safehaven law in Omaha. Apparently, Omaha's safehaven law allows anyone, not just parents to drop off children at a state licensed hospital without prosecution for abandonment. In this particular article, a mother from another state, dropped off her 13- year old son. The article did not list a reason for the mother's decision to leave her child, however it speculates that it was probably due to behavioral problems. I don't fault a new, teenage mother for leaving her child in a safe hospital because she feels she cannot take care of the infant, I do however have a real problem with a parent leaving a child simply because she or he is having some issues. Isn't it a parents responsibility to care for their child! If we all dumped our children off when they were making us crazy, the hospitals would be full of abandoned children. It is my feeling that this mother should be prosecuted. Of course I do not know the whole situation, maybe I am missing something. However, I have to be more concerned with this 13 year old boy who has been dumped by his parents in a hospital where he knows no one. There should be a license to have children. So many undeserving people have children whom they abuse, neglect, or simply give up after a period of time, when there are people out there who would do anything for a child yet they cannot have them. This is absurd at the very least. What is wrong with our society that gives parents the right to do this to their children?

Children are a blessing from God. We are given these gifts and we should cherish them. It breaks my heart that so many children are neglected or simply not wanted.

1 comment:

Beth said...

Wow! I've been reading the same stuff, and I don't understand it. I think part of the problem is that we don't have close-knit societies any more. Our culture is too temporary and nomadic; we're always moving (well, at least, my family is). We don't have roots and small towns to keep us in line any more.I have no answers. And I have had teenagers I've wanted to give away...but I'm smarter than that--I'm the one who runs away!!

But I also don't understand how you could possibly be posting at 6-something a.m.!!! Sleep in for a change!!!

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